Taylor Spencer Russell 1898

Spencer Russell Taylor
1898-1952


Father Nm: Samuel Henry Taylor1869–1929. BIRTH 8 NOV 1869 Dairy Swamp, County Phillip, District of Rylestone, NSW. DEATH 15 NOVEMBER 1929 • Burwood, New South Wales

Mother Nm : Margaret Russell 1877–1949 BIRTH 4 AUG,1877  Ilford, NSW. DEATH 1949   Manly, New South Wales

Marriage Dt:1921 to Ivy Matilda Blencowe

K comments: Sons Norman and Paul served in WW2

Spouse comments: Ivy Matilda Blencowe [9173] born 28.12.1897 Carrieton S.A. died 11.1.1959 in R.G. Hospital, Concord NSW

Children: Paul Spencer 1922,  Norman Russell 1924, Eunice and John.

 

20th Bn AIF
WW1

Taylor Spencer Russell, 1898, Rylstone NSW, 5418, Lance Sergeant, 20th Battalion AIF.

1916
  • 26 Feb. Enlisted age 18 years occupation Clerk. Was initially assigned to the 46th Battalion AIF but in April transferred to the 20th Battalion. The 20th Bn. was part of the 5th Brigade of the 2nd Division during WW1.
  • 22 Aug. Embarked for England from Sydney on HMAT Wiltshire. Appointed for voyage only to Corporal.
  • 13 Oct. Landed Plymouth England, Appointed Extra Duty Pay Corporal.(note through 1916 Spencer is several times made temp Corporal and then reverts to Private.)
  • Nov. Rollestone and then is placed with AIF HQ staff in London,
  • 13-14 Dec. Proceeds overseas on Princess Henrietta landing at Etaples on the 14th of December.
1917
  • 25-26 Jan.2nd Australian Depot at Etaples, the next day joined the 20th Bn.at Dernancourt. just south of Albert in the Somme.
  • 29 Jan. Bn moved to Albert war diary records casualties probably from shell bombardment or trench sniping.
  • 5-7 Feb.Shelterwood Camp. During the afternoon of the 5th of February, an enemy plane dropped a bomb in the 20th Bn camp otherwise known as  Scotts Redoubt North. The bomb struck a Nissen hut and 5 men were killed 12.3 On the 6th and 7th more reported dead by CWGC, five in total. (which may well have been killed in the aeroplane bombing.)
  • 22-25 Feb. In the Front Line at Le Sars.
    • As part of the 2nd Div. attack on the German army withdrawing to the Hindenburg Line. The 20th Bn. struck towards Warlencourt in conjunction with the 18th,21st and 22nd battalions.
    • 22 Feb. The Bn relieved the 25th Bn on the right of Le Sars.2
    • 23-24 Feb. Quiet time, patrols sent out on 24th February no contact made with the enemy.2
    • 24/25 Feb. On the night of the 24th, Bn pushed forward and encountered the enemy at Le Barque Trench. CWCG Casualties reported as 6 men killed that day. From AIF in France;” The 18th and 20th Battalions, moving in artillery formation under fairly heavy shell-fire, reached Le Barque Switch. At that stage they were faced with the fire of several machine guns; further advance over the open would obviously entail many casualties…..The 20th Battalion, -.advancing on either side of the
      road, managed on the left to reach the bank of the Warlencourt-Le
      Barque road, where it gained touch with the line of posts already established by the 6th Brigade around Warlencourt”.3
  • 2 Mar. Wounded in Action. Relieved by the 23rd Bn. in the support line the relief took heavy casualties. Spencer is wounded among 18 casualties for the day recorded by the WD. The action was significant though and of those wounded 10 men are reported killed by CWCG.
  • 3 Mar. Taken to the 6th Australian Field Ambulance with GSW left shoulder and right leg (which while it says GSW (gunshot wound)the injury is indicative given the location of wounds on both sides of shell shrapnel impact.
  • 3 Mar. After assessment sent 80kms north to the 8th Red Cross hospital at Le Toquet just outside Freminglein.

    Sp
    Spencer’s long journey by ambulance to Freliminglein
  • 13 Mar. Invalided from the port of Antwerp to England on this day.
  • 13. Mar. Admitted to the Military Hospital (Hylands Hse) at Clacton upon Sea and stays at this hospital till 17th June 1917.

    Hylands House Clacton-staff and patients
    Hylands House Clacton Staff and patients-source Twitter
  • 17 Jun. Discharged from the hospital but not yet fit for return (rated B1) to battalion at the front, Spencer is moved into the AIF No 3 Convalescent Depot at Hurdcott near Salisbury, Hampshire. Spencer was not long at Hurdcott going to the Overseas staging base at Perham Downs on the 26th June 1917.
  • 1 Sept. Embarked from Southampton for France landing the next day at Le Havre.
  • 17 Sept. Spencer rejoins his battalion in the Ypres Sector. three days before one of its biggest battles of the war so straight back into it!
  • 20 Sept. Attack on Westhoek Ridge (The battle of Menin Road.)
    20th Bn red lead the attack on the ridge
    • The battalion lead the Brigade attack on the Ridge taking its objectives but suffering very heavy casualties 276 recorded casualties for the attack with 73 men killed this day as per CWGC record.
  • 6 Oct. Promoted to Lance Sergeant.
  • 4-12 Oct. Third Battle of Ypres.

    Map of Australian forces at Flanders front
    Map from Australians on the Western front. The 20 Bn shown in orange circle part of the II Anzac Corps
    • 8/9 Oct. Wounded in Action again. Attack on Broodseinde Ridge. Casualties on the pre-battle day were 15 killed (CWGC) this is a heavy toll and the war diary doesn’t refer to the incident that caused the casualties. The Casualties may be related to the attack in the early hours of the 9th of October. “In the early hours of 9 October the 20th Battalion with the 17th Bn. in the rear, formed upon its tapes immediately south of “ Defy Crossing ” near “ Tyne C”. “The outburst of the bombardment at 5.20 filled the air with sound, but the line of the eighteen-pounder barrage was difficult to discern. The 20th Battalion, which was not originally to have taken part, had brought in most of its junior officers to give them experience. Immediately after the start, part of the barrage seemed to shorten or to remain stationary,.. and the 20th found itself beneath it, and suffered a loss.”3 In total the Bn. lost 64 men KIA in this period. Spencer suffers GSW in the hip and in his eyes.
    • 10 Oct.Taken to No 3 Field Ambulance at Wippenhoek. From there Spencer was moved to the 17th Casualty Clearing Centre at Remy Siding( which was located right next to the present day Lijssenhoek Military Cemetery on the Boescheepseweg, a road leading from Ypres to Poperinghe.) Note 3 months prior Percy Blencowe from Whitchurch England died of wounds in this same station..
    • 11 Oct Spencer invalided to the 14th General Hospital at Boulogne,
    • 13 Oct. Admitted to the 1st Australian Convalescent Depot also in Boulogne.
    • 26 Oct. Rejoined battalion.
    • 17 Dec. Wounded in Action for the third time. In the Trenches opposite the River Lys at Armentieres Pont de Nieppe . Spencer was most likely wounded when early in the morning an enemy patrol threw some “bombs’ (grenades) and then retreated after an exchange of fire. Spencer’s wound a GSW to the face Malar (cheekbone). Spencer has taken to the 7th Australian Field Ambulance at nearby Pont D’achelies. From there Spencer is sent to No 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station Trois Arbres near Armentières.
      A ward in 2 CCS near Steenvoorde, Flanders, November 1917.
      AWM E04623
  • 30 Dec. Admitted Horton War Hospital Epsom.
    Postcard view of patients relaxing outside Horton (County of London) War Hospital. Date not known.
    Image courtesy of Bourne Hall Museum
  • 24 Jan. Admitted to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital Harefield.
    The exterior of `Harefield House’ the former stately home taken over by the No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital (1AAH) in 1915-03. On the right is the corner of one of the first wards and hidden from view behind the shrubbery is the bay window of the first operating theatre (formerly the sitting room).

     

  • 31 Jan. Discharged on a Furlough
  • 14 Feb. To No 2 Australian Command Depot, Weymouth. By this time it would have been assessed that Spencer was not fit to go back to the front and was to be returned home.
    Preparing a boat roll parade at Littlemoor Camp, D Sub Depot, No. 2 Australian Command Depot. The Colour patch of the 2nd Division is worn on the left shoulder of the soldier on the right.
  • 12 May. Embarked on the ship “Ruahine” for Australia.
    SS Ruahine a New Zealand Troop Ship in WW1
  • 5 Jul. Landed Australia.
  • 3 Dec. Discharged from the Army.
SOURCES
  1. Service Records for S R Taylor
  2. War Diary of the 20th Battalion AIF
  3. War Diary of the 5th Brigade AIF
  4. The AIF in France
  5. The Australian Victories in France in 1918, Sir John Monash
  6. Australians on the Western Front
  7. Horton Hospital History
  8. Special thanks to granddaughter Kim Heath for family photographs and information.
MEDALS
Awarded the 1914-15 Star the Victory and British War medals

Discharged with wounds would have been entitled to the Silver War Badge

Spencer was entitled to wear three wound stripes as shown below on the left arm of his uniform.

Two Australian Soldiers one with three wound stripes

AFTER THE WAR

Lived in Leeton from 1919-1929 and then from 1935-1946

1919-1929 ACCOUNTANT AND MANAGER WATSON AND CO (GROCERS) KURRANJONG AVENUE
1935-1946 SECRETARY OF LEETON DISTRICT HOSPITAL.

Spencer as Secretary was instrumental in the building of a new hospital at Leeton which was opened in 1942.

SECRETARY OF THE ALBURY DISTRICT HOSPITAL FOR THREE YEARS
SECRETARY OF THE THE WOMEN’S HOSPITAL CROWN ST. FOR THREE AND HALF YEARS

Associate of the Australian Institute of Hospital Administrators
Secretary of the Returned Soldiers League
President of Leeton Rotary Club1944-1946

Spencer with son Paul posts C1923. Below are two sons who served in WW2.

DEATH 1952

Obituary Murrumbidgee Irrigator on 22 January 1952.

Spencer and Ivy Taylor later in life date unknown.